Cargiant managing director Tony Mendes has insisted the company has no intention of reopening talks with QPR over the Old Oak regeneration – and that the club’s plans to build a stadium are “not viable”.
Rangers’ Malaysian owners, fronted by chairman Tony Fernandes, have long hoped to preside over Canary Wharf-style redevelopment of the area between Scrubs Lane and Willesden Junction.
Cargiant currently own 47 acres of the site in question and the company’s owner Geoff Warren has pressed ahead with his own redevelopment plans for the area since talks with QPR ended abruptly without the basis of a partnership agreement.
“Some guy wants all the cake. I’m saying ‘Let’s put our heads together and make a bigger cake’.”
Tony Fernandes
Fernandes has called for those talks to be resurrected, claiming that the Greater London Authority could reject both proposals if the two rival parties do not come together.
Fernandes said: “There’s X land. It could be ‘You do this bit, I do this bit.’ There are many ways of skinning a cat. Life’s too short – let’s find a situation where everyone wins.
“People in the end will see commonsense. If I take a hard stand and he takes a hard stand, in the end no one will get it – the GLA will do something else.
“It’s a matter of sharing out the cake. Some guy wants all the cake. I’m saying ‘Let’s put our heads together and make a bigger cake’.”
But Mendes is adamant that Cargiant have no interest in a deal with QPR and will go their own way.
Mendes, a lifelong Rangers fan, said: “The position is unchanged. We will not enter into negotiations with QPR regarding our plans to regenerate our land holdings at Old Oak Common.
“We are making incredible progress and are very pleased with the feedback from key stakeholders such as the GLA, Transport for London and the local boroughs.
“We want to deliver a world class development; safe, with green spaces, schools and the social and leisure facilities that the community will benefit from.
“This does not include a stadium. It is not viable to build a stadium in our land and is not going to happen.
“Tony Fernandes needs to understand that no means no. There will be no discussions with QPR.”
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This post was last modified on 21/02/2015
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I think QPR will miss out on this development.
Why, simply because they do not own the land.
Cargiant will decide what's best for there shareholders.
QPR will not bully Cargiant and neither should they try.
I must admit this area would be great for QPR but I have conceded.
I don't think QPR have the backers to develop the site.
It looks like they do not understand the real value of the land.
The land cost will be prohibitive in building a stadium.
I wonder how much Loftus Road is worth to developers.
I will cross fingers but won't hold my breath.